Water polo: Kendal remain top despite derby defeat (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Water polo: Kendal remain top despite derby defeat

8:40am Thursday 15th September 2011 in Sport

Lancaster 10
Kendal 9.
KENDAL lost a top of the table clash as they went down 10-9 to arch rivals Lancaster in the North Lancs Water Polo League on Thursday.

Both team started well and had chances to open the scoring but Kendal’s keeper Richard Foster thwarted Lancaster with some crucial early saves.

At the end of the first quarter Kendal trailed 3-2 with goals from Matt Greaves and Marc Robinson and started the second quarter brightly, with the scores level at 4-4 at half time.

Kendal continued to build momentum in the third quarter, with Sam Routledge adding another goal but Lancaster pressed hard and three unanswered goals from the home team took the score to 7-5.

A Greaves goal towards the end of the third quarter reduced Lancaster’s advantage to 7-6 going into the final quarter.

Lancaster stretched their lead to 10-6 but a fightback in the last few minutes saw goals for Dan Barker, Greaves and Robinson, but it was too later as Kendal went down by a solitary goal.

Kendal remain top ahead of their match with Blackpool at Lakes Leisure tonight, Thursday, but face a crucial away match at Radcliffe in October in their quest to take the title.